WO99/47067 PCTIUS98/05509 ILLUMINATED SYRINGE TIP AND HANDPIECE ASSEMBLY 1 2 Background of the Invention 3 This invention relates to an illuminated syringe tip 4 and handpiece assembly, and more particularly to an illumi 5 nated syringe tip and handpiece assembly in which a dispos 6 able syringe tip is used to transmit light from a light 7 source on the interior of the adaptor to the oral cavity of 8 the patient to provide illumination for the dentist. 9 U.S. Patent No. 5,049,071 (Davis et al.) discloses a .0 disposable dental syringe tip made of plastic material. .1 This patent also discloses various adaptors that can be ,2 used to attach the disposable syringe tip to the handpiece .3 of a three way dental syringe assembly. The disclosure of .4 this U.S. Patent No. 5,049,071 is incorporated herein by .5 this reference. Additionally, U.S. Patent No. 5,192,206 L6 (Davis et al.) contains additional disclosure relating to L7 adaptors for use in three way dental syringe assemblies and L8 the disclosure of this U.S. Patent No. 5,192,206 is also L9 incorporated herein by this reference. 20 The use of disposable plastic syringe tips has become 21 quite widespread in light of the serious concern about the 22 rising incidence of communicable diseases such as hepatitis 23 and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Dentists are 24 taking extreme care to prevent the transmission of germs 25 (viral or bacteria) from one patient to the next. The 26 plastic syringe tip receives air and water under pressure.
WO99/47067 PCTIUS98/05509 1 By operation of the air button and the water button on the 2 handpiece, the dentist can direct water, air or a combined 3 air/water spray into the patient's mouth for whatever 4 dental procedures are required. 5 It is desirable to also supply light into the oral 6 cavity to assist the dentist in performing necessary dental 7 procedures. Most dental operatories have an overhead 8 lighting system with reflective surfaces that help concen 9 trate the light on the patient's mouth. However, the .0 dentist will often stand in the path of the light which .1 minimizes the effectiveness of the overhead light. .2 Various dental tools have been provided with a light .3 source to assist the dentist during various dental activi L4 ties. For example, a typical dental drill will include a L5 fiberoptic bundle that transmits light from a light source L6 to the end of the dental drill which allows the dentist to L7 provide light directly to the area in which the drilling is L8 occurring. Representative of this technology are the 19 disclosures shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,507,085 (Mosimann) 20 and U.S. Patent No. 5,088,924 (Woodward). 21 Dental syringe tip handpieces have also been provided 22 with a light source to illuminate the area into which the 23 air and/or water are to be sprayed. Representative of 24 these devices is the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,612 25 (Weber) which shows a fiberoptic bundle disposed down the 26 center of a metal syringe tip assembly. A light bulb acts 2 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 as the light source and is disposed in the interior of the 2 handpiece. The syringe tip used in the disclosure of the 3 Weber patent is a metal, non-disposable syringe tip which 4 must be autoclaved prior to use on the next patient. 5 Prior to the present invention, however, there have 6 not been any disposable syringe tips provided with a light 7 source to transmit light to the oral cavity. Dentists 8 using disposable syringe tips would have had to rely on the 9 ambient overhead lighting systems used in the dental 10 operatories in order to see in the oral cavity of the 11 patient during use of the air/water dental syringe tip 12 handpiece. 13 It is an object of the present invention to provide a 14 useful source of light that can be transmitted into the 15 oral cavity of the patient whenever the dentist is using an 16 air/water dental syringe tip handpiece. 17 It is a feature of the present invention to provide a 18 light source at the end of the syringe tip on the interior 19 of the adaptor that holds the syringe tip in the dental 20 syringe tip handpiece. Light from the light source is 21 directed into one end of the syringe tip and carried along 22 the length thereof. At the opposite end of the syringe 23 tip, the light radiates from the syringe tip and can be 24 used to illuminate the oral cavity of the patient. 25 It is an advantage of the present invention that a 26 dentist will be able to illuminate the oral cavity using 3 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 the same instrument that he is using to supply air, water 2 or combined air and water to the oral cavity of the pa 3 tient. Any dental procedures that require use of the 4 air/water dental syringe tip handpiece will be more easily, 5 safely and effectively carried out because the dentist will 6 be able to see exactly where in the oral cavity he is 7 working. 8 Other objects, features and advantages of the present 9 invention will become apparent from a consideration of the 0 following detailed description. 1 2 Summary of the Invention 3 A dental syringe tip handpiece assembly includes a 4 clear, plastic syringe tip mounted in an adaptor for 5 connection to the handpiece. On the interior of the .6 adaptor at a location adjacent the end of the syringe tip, .7 a source of light, preferably a fiberoptic ringlight, is .8 provided. Light from the light source will be transmitted .9 down the length of the syringe tip and emitted from the end .0 thereof. By positioning the end of the syringe tip in the 1 patient's oral cavity, the dentist can provide illumination .2 in the oral cavity so that various dental functions can be a3 more easily and accurately performed. 24 A special handpiece body formed of a handpiece inner Z5 unit and an outer cover is provided to receive the adaptor 26 and syringe tip assembly. The air, water and fiberoptic 4 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 L lines are positioned inside the handpiece body. The ? handpiece body can be easily disassembled for cleaning. 3 The source of light may also be a light bulb posi I tioned at the rear of the adaptor. The adaptor is made 5 from clear, or at least translucent, material so that light 5 from the light bulb-will be transmitted through the adaptor 7 and then into the syringe tip. 3 In yet another embodiment of the present invention, 9 the source of the light may be one or more fiberoptic 0 bundles disposed through a valve head and a manifold 1 assembly. The ends of the fiberoptic bundles are posi 2 tioned adjacent the end of a syringe tip so that the light 3 emitting from the ends of the fiberoptic bundles is trans 4 mitted into the syringe tip which then carries the light 5 along the length thereof and the light is emitted from the 6 end of the syringe tip and can be used to illuminate the 7 oral cavity of a patient. 8 9 Brief Description of the Drawings 0 Figure 1 shows a partially-exploded isometric view of 1 the illuminated syringe tip assembly and a handpiece body 2 of the present invention. 3 Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view at the location 4 in the assembly at which the adaptor, syringe tip and 5 locking cap are joined to the handpiece body, with all 6 parts in the closed position. 5 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view at the location 2 in the assembly at which the adaptor, syringe tip and 3 locking cap are joined to the handpiece body, with all 4 parts in the open position. 5 Figure 4 shows an isometric view of the handpiece body 6 of the present invention with the outer cover removed. 7 Figure 5 shows a cross section of one end of the 8 handpiece body shown in Figure 4. 9 Figure 6 shows a cross sectional end view of a syringe 0 tip for use with the present invention. 1 Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view of a modified 2 embodiment of the present invention at the location in the 3 assembly at which a light bulb is positioned at the rear of 4 the adaptor. 5 Figure 8 shows a partially-exploded isometric view of 6 another alternative embodiment of an illuminated dental 7 syringe tip assembly of the present invention. 8 Figure 9 shows a partially exploded isometric view of 9 the head and fiberoptic bundles used in this alternative 0 embodiment of the present invention. 1 Figure 10 shows a longitudinal cross sectional view in 2 the closed position of this alternative embodiment of the 3 present invention. 4 Figure 11 shows a lateral cross section view of the 5 manifold body used in this alternative embodiment and 6 showing the location of the water veins. 6 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 L Figure 12 shows a partially exploded isometric view of 2 the manifold body, with the manifold sleeve partially 3 cutaway, used in this alternative embodiment. I 5 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments 6 The illuminated dental syringe tip handpiece assembly 7 of the present invention is shown generally at 300 in 8 Figure 1. A handpiece body 312 comprises an outer cover 9 410 that slidably mounts over an inner unit 430. The inner 0 unit 430 is a generally U-shaped channel that has a hollow 1 interior to accommodate the water line, the air line and a 2 fiberoptic line. Each of these supply lines are connected 3 to the handpiece body 312 by means of an outer tubing 470 4 which extends to the sources (not shown) of the water 5 supply, the air supply and the light source for the fiber 6 optic line. 7 At one end of the handpiece body 312, there is pro 8 vided an adaptor 320 that mounts the syringe tip 314 into 9 the handpiece body 312. A locking cap assembly 330 holds 0 the syringe tip 314 securely in place. 1 As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the handpiece body 312 2 has at one end a threaded opening 313 into which the 3 adaptor 320 can be screwed using the first adaptor threads 4 322. The middle of the adaptor 320 is provided with a 5 central hexagonal opening 316 into which a wrench can be 6 positioned to tighten the adaptor 320 into the threaded 7 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 opening 313 of the handpiece body 312. 2 In the embodiment shown in this application, the hand 3 piece body can be a standard configuration known as the 4 "Continental Design," although the components of the 5 present invention can be modified to fit any handpiece body 6 configuration. Further details of the adaptor 320 are set 7 out in U.S. Patent No. 5,049,071, which is incorporated 8 herein by this reference. 9 A locking assembly securely holds the syringe tip 314 .0 into the handpiece body 312 to prevent inadvertent loosen 1 ing of the syringe tip 314 so that the air and water supply .2 is at all times fed through the syringe tip 314 and to .3 prevent the syringe tip 314 from separating from the .4 adaptor 320. The locking assembly comprises generally the .5 adaptor 320, a collet gripping member 340 that fits over .6 the exterior end of the adaptor 320, an O-ring 342 and a .7 locking cap 330 that screws onto the adaptor 320 and .8 surrounds the collet gripping member 340. The interior of .9 the locking 330 contains a set of screw threads 332 that 10 cooperate with the second adaptor threads 326 on the .1 adaptor 320 to secure the locking cap 330 to the adaptor 22 320. Further details of the locking assembly are shown in 23 U.S. Patent No. 5,306,146 and U.S. Patent No. 5,489,205, 24 both of which are incorporated herein by this reference. 25 The release of the locking cap 330 from the adaptor 320 26 takes pressure off the collet gripping member 340 which 8 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 allows removal of a used syringe tip and replacement with 2 a new syringe tip. 3 The syringe tip 314 is an elongated cylindrical member 4 preferably made of a plastic material. The syringe tip 314 5 is press fit onto the tapered spindle 321 of the adaptor 6 320. Further details of the syringe tip are set out in 7 U.S. Patent No. 5,049,071. The syringe tip 314 must be 8 made of material that will transmit light from one end of 9 the syringe tip to the other end. In the preferred embodi 0 ment of the present invention, the syringe tip 314 is made 1 of polypropanate, although other light transmitting, 2 plastic materials can be used such as acrylic plastics. 3 Also, the syringe tip 314 preferably should be clear 4 or transparent so that an inspection of the syringe tip 5 would reveal if it had previously been used. Once a 6 syringe tip has been used on a patient, the end of the 7 syringe tip will retain small amounts of saliva, blood or 8 other materials from the patient's mouth. 9 The syringe tip 314 is designed to be disposable after 0 a single use. The tip material is fabricated in a single 1 step extrusion process, and is made preferably from any 2 rigid transparent plastic that can transmit light. A rigid 3 plastic is preferred to fulfill the need to use the tip for 4 continued retraction of the cheek and tongue by the dental 5 operator. 9 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 The syringe tip 314 is press fit onto the tapered 2 spindle 321 at the end of the spindle extension 325. The 3 tapered spindle 321 is integrally connected to an spindle 4 extension 325 that extends through the rear end of the 5 adaptor and into the handpiece body 312. The rear end of 6 the spindle extension 325 is threaded and received by the 7 threaded opening 316 on the interior of the handpiece body 8 312. The remote end of the spindle extension 325 is 9 connected to the water supply line 444 which allows water 10 to be feed to the syringe tip 314 in a conventional manner. 11 Similarly, the air supply is sent to the adaptor 320 12 through an air supply line 442 in the handpiece body 312 13 that aligns with the air channel 328 in the adaptor 320. 14 As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a light source in the 15 form of a fiberoptic ringlight 360 is disposed directly 16 adjacent to the end of the syringe tip 314 on the interior 17 of the adaptor 320 so that light is directed down the 18 length of the syringe tip. In the preferred embodiment of 19 the present invention, a fiberoptic ring light made by 20 Fiberoptics Technology Incorporated, 14 Fiber Road, Pom 21 fret, CT 06258 can be used, although any suitable fiber 22 optic ring arrangement would be acceptable. The fiberoptic 23 ringlight 360 is connected to a fiberoptic bundle 363 which 24 extends through a passageway 448 in the handpiece body 312 25 for connection to a remote light source (not shown). 10 WO99/47067 PCTIUS98/05509 1 On the interior of the adaptor 320, there is provided 2 an annular grommet 365 which receives a snap in flexible 3 ring 368. This flexible ring 368 surrounds the spindle 4 extension 325 and the fiberoptic bundle 363 and holds them 5 in place on the interior of the adaptor 320. 6 As shown in Figure 2, with the locking cap 330 pushed 7 onto the adaptor 320 in the closed position, the fiberoptic 8 ringlight 360 sits adjacent to the end of the syringe tip 9 314 in the interior of the adaptor 320. When the power .0 supply is activated by the dentist, the light bulb 360 will .1 illuminate and the light therefrom will be passed along the L2 length of the syringe tip 314 to its remote end where it is .3 emitted to illuminate the oral cavity of the patient. .4 Figure 4 shows the interior details of the inner unit L5 430 of the handpiece body 312. On the interior of the L6 inner unit 430 inside the U-shaped channel, there is L7 provided the water supply line 444 and the air supply line L8 442 which supply the air and water from the source to the L9 adaptor. The water valve 454 is positioned in the water 20 supply line 444 and is activated by the dentist by depress 21 ing the water button 453 carried by the outer cover 410. 22 Similarly, air valve 452 is positioned in the air supply 23 line 442 and is activated by the dentist by depressing the 24 air button 451 carried by the outer cover 410. 25 The inner unit 430 is also provided with a conven 26 tional pin fastener 462 which cooperates with an aperture 11 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 464 in the outer cover 410. The outer cover 410 slides 2 over the length of the inner unit 430 and the pin fastener 3 462 engages into the aperture 464 to hold the outer cover 4 410 in place when the assembly is being used. When it is 5 desired to clean the assembly, the pin fastener 462 is 6 depressed which allows the outer cover 410 to slide off of 7 the inner unit 430. The adaptor 320 unscrews from the 8 handpiece body 312 and the outer cover 410, the adaptor 9 320, the locking cap 330 and the collet gripping member 340 LO.0 can then all be cleaned and autoclaved as needed. L1 Figure 6 shows a modification to a syringe tip 514 L2 which ensures that the syringe tip is accurately positioned L3 in the adaptor 320. The syringe tip 514 has a central .4 water passageway 522 and a plurality of air passageways 524 L5 positioned around the water passageway 522. One end of the L6 syringe tip 514 is provided with a keyed channel 530 which L7 aligns with a complementary adaptor insert 540 (see Figure L8 2) on the interior of the adaptor 320. Thus, for the L9 syringe tip 514 to properly seat within the adaptor 320, 20 the keyed channel 530 on the syringe tip 514 must be 21 aligned with the adaptor insert 540. If the alignment is 22 not correct, the adaptor 514 will not properly press fit 23 onto the spindle 321 and water and air leakage problems 24 will occur. 25 Other variations of the present invention may be made. 26 Instead of the fiberoptic ringlight 360, other suitable 12 WO99/47067 PCTIUS98/05509 1 light sources can be used. For example, any suitably 2 shaped light bulb can be positioned on the interior of the 3 adaptor so that light can then be transmitted down the 4 syringe tip and into the oral cavity of the patient. 5 As shown in Figure 7, the handpiece body 612 has an 6 adaptor 620 that mounts the syringe tip 614 into the 7 handpiece body 612. In this embodiment, the adaptor 620 is 8 made of a relatively hard plastic such as polycarbonate or 9 hard acrylics. The adaptor 620 must also transmit light LO from a light source 660 to the syringe tip 614, so the .1 material chosen for the adaptor 620 must a light transmit L2 ting material. It is preferred that this material be a .3 clear, transparent plastic, but a translucent material may L4 also be used. L5 The adaptor 620 rests in one end of the handpiece body L6 612 and a locking ring 650 having an external locking ring L7 thread 652 cooperates with a set of internal threads 622 L8 holds the adaptor 620 in place. The locking ring 650 can L9 have a recessed groove (not shown) on it surface to receive 20 a screw driver for turning the locking ring 650 into the 21 internal threads 622. 22 The adaptor 620 includes a tapered spindle 621 upon 23 which the syringe tip 614 is mounted. A water channel 628 24 and an air channel 629 are provided in the adaptor 620 to 25 transmit water and air, respectively, from the handpiece 26 612 to the syringe tip 614. A locking assembly securely 13 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 holds the syringe tip 614 into the handpiece body 612 to 2 prevent inadvertent loosening of the syringe tip 614 so 3 that the air and water supply is at all times fed through 4 the syringe tip 614 and to prevent the syringe tip 614 from 5 separating from the adaptor 620. The locking assembly 6 comprises generally the adaptor 620, a collet gripping 7 member 640 that fits over the exterior end of the adaptor 8 620, an O-ring 642 and a locking cap 630 that screws onto 9 the adaptor 620 and surrounds the collet gripping member 10 640. The interior of the locking cap 630 contains a set of 11 screw threads that cooperate with the second adaptor 12 threads 626 on the adaptor 620 to secure the locking cap 13 630 to the adaptor 620. 14 The adaptor 620 contains a bulb recess 625 that 15 receives the light bulb 660. The light bulb 660 is mounted 16 on a light bulb base 662 positioned in the handpiece body 17 612. The light bulb base 662 is connected to a remote 18 power supply (not shown) by connecting wire 670. 19 When the light bulb 660 is activated by the power 20 supply, a lens 668 concentrates the light into the adaptor 21 620 whence the light is transmitted through the adaptor 620 22 and into the syringe tip 614 for transmission to the mouth 23 of the patient. 24 It is desirable to minimize heat being emitted from 25 the light source, so fiberoptic or fluorescent light 26 structures are preferred since the heat emissions of these 14 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 light sources is minimal. It is also contemplated that a 2 light source positioned adjacent a reflective surface can 3 be used to focus the light into the end of the syringe tip. 4 This would increase the light intensity without increasing 5 the size of the light source and would increase the light 6 intensity available for transmission down the length of the 7 syringe tip. 8 As shown in Figures 8-12, another embodiment of the 9 present invention utilizes one or more fiberoptic bundles 10 to deliver light from a light source through the handle of 11 the syringe tip assembly into the syringe tip where the 12 light is transmitted the length of the syringe tip and used 13 to illuminate the oral cavity of the patient. 14 The dental syringe assembly of this embodiment is 15 shown generally at 700. The handle 712 contains the 16 connecting lines for the fiberoptic bundles 760 and for the 17 sources of air and water which are water tubing 756 and air 18 tubing 758. The handle 712 threads (or otherwise suitably 19 connects) to a head 720 having a threaded extension 722. 20 The head 720 also contains the air valve 752 and the water 21 valve 754 for activation of the air and water, respec 22 tively, in a conventional manner. As shown in Figure 9, 23 the threaded extension 722 includes one or more fiberoptic 24 bundle apertures 728 for receiving one or more of the 25 fiberoptic bundles 760 as well as a water barb fitting 724 26 for connecting the water tubing 756 and an air barb fitting 15 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 726 for connecting the air tubing 758. 2 The head 720 also threadably connects to a thumb nut 3 740, which in operable relationship with a locking collar 4 750, securely holds the syringe tip 714 in place in the 5 dental syringe assembly 700. The structure of the thumb 6 nut 740 and locking collar 750 are shown in United States 7 Patent No. 5,306,146 and U.S. Patent No. 5,489,205, the 8 disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 9 Positioned on the interior of the head 720 is a 10 manifold body 770. The manifold body 770 is a generally 11 cylindrical body which includes a tapered spindle 780 (see 12 Figure 10) upon which is mounted the syringe tip 714 in the 13 manner shown in United States Patent No. 5,236,356. A 14 manifold top 772 is positioned next to the manifold body 15 770 and held in place thereat by a manifold sleeve 776. 16 The manifold body 770 contains the fiberoptic bundle 17 apertures 728 for receiving the fiberoptic bundles 760. 18 The air supply for the dental syringe assembly 700 is 19 connected to the air insert stem 778 which in turn is 20 mounted in the air vein 782 which is a longitudinal pas 21 sageway through the manifold body 770. The water supply 22 for the dental syringe assembly 700 is connected to the 23 water insert stem 779 which in turn is mounted in the 24 offset longitudinal water vein 790 in the manifold body 25 770. The offset longitudinal water vein 790 intersects 26 with a perpendicular water vein 788 in the manifold body 16 WO99/47067 PCT/US98/05509 1 770, which also intersects with an axial water vein 786 in 2 the manifold body 770 which finally intersects with a 3 central longitudinal water vein 784 in the manifold body 4 770 to deliver water into the spindle 780 and from there 5 into the syringe tip 714. 6 Figure 10 shows in longitudinal cross section the 7 dental syringe assembly 700 in assembled relationship. The 8 head 720 is threaded into the handle 712 and the combined 9 manifold body 770, manifold top 772 and manifold sleeve 776 LO are received in a recess in the head 720. The thumb nut Li 740 when threaded into the head 720 holds the manifold body L2 770, manifold top 772 and manifold sleeve 776 in place with 13 an O-ring 742 provided to seal this threaded connection. 14 The syringe tip 714 is pushed into the thumb nut 740 and 15 one end thereof presses onto the spindle 780. The syringe 16 tip 714 is securely held on the spindle 780 by the locking 17 collar 750 and the O-ring 751 when the thumb nut 740 is 18 threaded into the head 720. 19 The end of the syringe tip 714 is closely positioned 20 to the ends of the fiberoptic bundles 760 so that when the 21 light source (not shown) is activated, the light carried by 22 the fiberoptic bundles 760 is transmitted into the end of 23 the syringe tip 714 and is carried along the length of the 24 syringe tip 714 where it can be emitted into the oral 25 cavity of patient to provide needed illumination. Any 26 suitable means can be used to activate the light source. 17 WO99/47067 PCTIUS98/05509 1 At the same time the light is being activated, the 2 dentist can press the air valve 752 which causes air from 3 the air tubing 758 to pass through the air vein 782 and 4 into the air passageways in the syringe tip 714. Simi 5 larly, activation of the water valve 754 causes water from 6 the water tubing 756 to pass into the offset longitudinal 7 water vein 790, from there into the perpendicular water 8 vein 788, from there into the axial water vein 786 and from 9 there into the central longitudinal water vein 784 which 10 connects to the central passageway in the spindle 780 which 11 feeds water to the central water passageway of the syringe 12 tip 714. 13 While the invention has been illustrated with respect 14 to several specific embodiments thereof, these embodiments 15 should be considered as illustrative rather than limiting. 16 Various modifications and additions may be made and will be 17 apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the 18 invention should not be limited by the foregoing descrip 19 tion, but rather should be defined only by the following 20 claims. 18